Rev. William Lynch, 89

Started Incarnation Parish

October 24, 1999|By David Heinzmann, Tribune Staff Writer.

When Rev. William Lynch founded Incarnation Catholic Church in Palos Heights in 1962, the suburb was just three years old.

As the farm fields of Palos Township gave way to new neighborhoods, many of the homes became filled with Catholics moving from the Southwest Side of Chicago. And as Palos Heights grew, so did Father Lynch's parish.

"He was really part of a growing community," said Bishop Timothy J. Lyne, vicar for retired priests for the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and Father Lynch's cousin. "He started it and built it and had the pride that anyone does in seeing something grow."

Father Lynch died Monday Palos Community Hospital. He was 89.

Father Lynch served at eight Chicago archdiocese parishes before founding Incarnation, where he served as pastor until his retirement in 1979. After retirement, Father Lynch continued to live at the parish another 17 years, saying masses and helping out regularly. In 1996, Father Lynch's declining health required him to move to Holy Family Villa, a Catholic nursing home near Lemont.

Father Lynch enjoyed being a pastor so close to his South Side roots, Lyne said.

He grew up on the South Side, attending St. Justin Martyr School before entering Quigley Seminary High School and eventually St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein.

His other parish assignments included St. William, Visitation, St. Tarcissus, Our Lady Gate of Heaven and St. Timothy, all in Chicago, and St. Frances of Rome in Cicero and St. Eulalia in Maywood.

But Incarnation was his life's work. "Anytime you start a parish, it's a very difficult task because you start from nothing. And he did quite well," Lyne said.

In addition to Lyne, Father Lynch's older brother, the late Rev. Thomas Lynch, and another cousin, Rev. Gerald Fraser, also were priests.